Boyden UK Annual Assembly 2024

At Boyden UK's Annual Assembly 2024, NASA Astronaut Jeanette Epps joined live from space, while The Children's Society CEO Mark Russell launched a £100M fund to support child welfare in the UK.

By Boyden UK

At Boyden’s UK Assembly 2024, clients, global colleagues, and other friends made history and interviewed NASA Astronaut Jeanette Epps, live on the International Space Station. On earth, Mark Russell, CEO of The Children’s Society launched a £100 million fund for child welfare in the UK.

An Evening of Hope, Endurance and Human Impact

Boyden’s Annual Assembly has become a key date for those in the Boyden UK community. Each year, the Boyden team, led by Nick Robeson, Managing Partner, Boyden in the UK & Ireland, creates an exceptional experience for clients, international colleagues, and friends of the firm. This year surpassed all others, focusing on hope, endurance, and the impact of extraordinary individuals as we were joined live from the International Space Station (ISS) by NASA Astronaut Dr. Jeanette Epps.

Jeanette appeared in person last year in a fireside chat with Nick Robeson, where she shared her extraordinary journey from starting out as a research engineer at Ford Motor Company, to serving as a technical intelligence officer with the CIA, to then being selected to join the NASA Astronaut Programme.

Jeanette’s story is a reminder that diversity enriches our collective potential and inspires us all to overcome obstacles and achieve greatness

On March 3rd this year, Jeanette launched to the International Space Station (ISS) as a Mission Specialist on NASA’s SpaceX Crew-8 mission. She is a beacon of diversity and inclusion in fields where women and people of colour remain underrepresented. A champion of STEM for girls and young women, Jeanette is involved in powerful educational outreach, inspiring children to work hard and follow their dreams. Her story is a reminder that diversity enriches our collective potential and inspires us all to overcome obstacles and achieve greatness.

A Call to Action for Children's Welfare

While connections were made to the ISS, Nick Robeson introduced another distinctive leader, Mark Russell, an extraordinary advocate for children’s welfare and CEO of The Children's Society. The Society’s work in ensuring that ‘every child has the best possible start in life to become the best possible person they can be’ aligns with Boyden’s support for over two decades for children and youth-oriented charities in the UK.

The Good Childhood Report, provides critical insights into the well-being of children in the UK and creates a roadmap to elevate their life experiences, well-being, and happiness

Drawing upon the Society’s 2024 research, Mark painted a shocking picture of children’s happiness levels in the UK compared with other European countries, where we now sit at the bottom of the league table. The Society’s research report, The Good Childhood Report, provides critical insights into the well-being of children in the UK and creates a roadmap to elevate their life experiences, well-being, and happiness over the next 10 years. The challenge for Mark is to attract £100 million of funding by 2034. With everyone’s help, we know he will do it.

An Electrifying Atmosphere

Back on the big screen, the IET was close to bringing us instantaneous communication with Jeanette at the ISS. To embellish the electric atmosphere and create history, Nick introduced, as a surprise to his team and Jeanette, the 45-strong London International Gospel Choir, singing Jeanette's launch song, "Rise Up" by Andra Day, against a powerful and highly emotional video featuring Jeanette’s journey to the ISS from NASA’s Cape Canaveral base in Florida.

Jeanette’s journey originally began in Syracuse, New York, where she developed a passion for science and exploration. Encouraged by her older brother, she earned a Bachelor's degree from Le Moyne College, followed by a Master's and Ph.D. in Aerospace Engineering from the University of Maryland.

Originally scheduled to fly to the ISS in 2018, her mission was abruptly halted. Had she flown, she would have been the first black female astronaut on a long-stay mission to the ISS. Despite this brutal setback, Jeanette’s determination never wavered.

She realized her dream this year as a Mission Specialist on NASA's SpaceX Crew-8, sharing that incredible achievement with the Boyden community in London. With a clear picture on big screens, 250 awe-struck guests came in close contact with Jeanette in a very personal setting, 206 days into her mission, with roughly 14 left to go.

An exploded Russian satellite forced all Mission 71 astronauts to their safe havens (vehicles) at 1am due to the risk of impact to the ISS

Overcoming Challenges in Space

This mission, above many, has been filled with significant operational challenges. There are unexpected houseguests Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams, staying on the ISS until February next year rather than the 5 days originally planned, due to difficulties with the Starliner test flight. There was a leaking space suit, with water freezing instantly on escape, potentially preventing closure of the capsule door, and an exploded Russian satellite that forced all Mission 71 astronauts to their safe havens (vehicles) at 1am due to the risk of impact to the ISS. We didn’t want to think about the films we have seen on that.

The strength of the relationship Nick has built with Jeanette during her time on the ISS was clear as he expertly navigated his way through questions while Jeanette, generous with her time, painted pictures for us of her life on the ISS, the research she is doing, and showing us around what she now describes as ‘home’. She spoke about the tipping point in space exploration, with SpaceX, Boeing, and Blue Origin as examples, all focusing on the vast array of opportunities in space both in relation to commercial and defence-related exploration, with the industry set to be worth £1.5 trillion by 2035.

Jeanette spoke about the tipping point in space exploration, with SpaceX, Boeing, and Blue Origin as examples, all focusing on the vast array of opportunities in space both in relation to commercial and defence-related exploration

Throughout our conversation, Jeanette was moving gently up and down, or through the small corridor spaces of the ISS where we caught sight of the feet of another astronaut upside down, before being reminded that in space there is no ‘right way up’. The mass of thick wires stunned the audience – if something needs fixing, where in space would you start? Computers hung as if on the branches of a tree, and Jeanette’s sleeping area was tucked beneath a soft ‘trap door’.

Jeanette’s broadest smile was shared with her partner Bryan, also beamed into the evening on screen to expertly cover for Jeanette as communications switched between satellites. Leaving aside too many probes into such a long-distance relationship, we saw the deep bond between a couple respecting the sacrifices made in the quest for new frontiers and personal accomplishment.

A Memorable Conclusion

Boyden’s magical evening was brought to a close by the Gospel Singers once more, with a powerful rendition of Heather Small’s “What Have You Done Today to Make You Feel Proud?” with Jeanette just resting back, taking in the moment: one she and guests had no knowledge or expectation of when they came to see where Boyden would take them, one rainy evening in London.